Bird's-eye view
In this passage, we come to one of the most iconic and frequently misunderstood scenes in all of Scripture: the breaking of the seals and the ride of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The Lamb, who alone was found worthy to open the scroll in the previous chapter, now begins to break the seven seals, initiating the judgments contained within. This is not a random series of unfortunate events; it is the deliberate and sovereign unfolding of God's covenant lawsuit against apostate Israel. The opening of the first seal reveals a rider on a white horse, going forth to conquer. As we will see, this is not Antichrist, as many have supposed, but rather the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, riding out in judgment to dismantle the old covenant order and establish His kingdom. These events, prophesied by Jesus in the Olivet Discourse, find their primary fulfillment in the historical tumult that culminated in the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. What happens in Heaven, the Lamb opening the seals, directly drives what happens on earth.
The thunderous voice of one of the living creatures, the guardians of God's throne, summons the horseman, underscoring the divine authority and holiness of this judgment. The rider is given a bow and a crown, symbols of conquest and royalty. His mission is one of relentless victory, "overcoming and to overcome." This is the beginning of the end for the Jerusalem that had rejected her Messiah. The subsequent horsemen, representing war, famine, and death, are the necessary consequences that follow in the train of this initial conquest by the King. This is not the gospel going out to save, but the King going out to judge.
Outline
- 1. The Lamb Initiates Judgment (Rev 6:1-2)
- a. The First Seal is Opened (Rev 6:1a)
- b. The Heavenly Summons (Rev 6:1b)
- c. The Conquering Rider (Rev 6:2)
- i. His White Horse: Righteous Judgment
- ii. His Bow: Waging War from Afar
- iii. His Crown: Victorious Authority
- iv. His Mission: To Overcome
Context In Revelation
Chapter 6 is the direct consequence of the glorious scene in chapters 4 and 5. In chapter 4, we were shown the throne room of the universe, with God the Father seated in ultimate sovereignty. In chapter 5, the central crisis was presented: a scroll, sealed with seven seals, which no one in heaven or on earth was worthy to open. This scroll represents God's secret decree for history, His plan of redemption and judgment. The apostle John wept because no one could execute this plan. But then the Lion of the tribe of Judah, who is also the Lamb that was slain, stepped forward. He alone is worthy. Having taken the scroll, He is now, in chapter 6, beginning to open it. The breaking of the seals is the unleashing of the contents of the scroll. The worship of Heaven in chapter 5 is the engine that drives the judgment of earth in chapter 6. These seals, particularly the first four (the horsemen), function as a unit, setting the stage for the covenantal judgments that will be detailed further in the trumpets and bowls, all of which are directed at the great enemy of the early church: apostate, first-century Jerusalem, the harlot city that killed the prophets and the Lord Himself.
Key Issues
- The Identity of the Rider on the White Horse
- The Preterist Fulfillment of the Seals
- The Connection to the Olivet Discourse
- The Relationship Between Heavenly Worship and Earthly Judgment
- The Symbolism of the Horse, Bow, and Crown
The King Goes to War
It is at this point that many interpreters of Revelation part company and head off in wildly different directions. Who is this first rider? Some say he is the Antichrist, others a Roman emperor, and still others the victorious march of the gospel. But the context, both here and in the rest of Scripture, points us firmly in one direction. The rider on the white horse is the Lord Jesus Christ. Later in this same book, Christ appears again on a white horse, explicitly named as "Faithful and True," the "Word of God" (Rev 19:11-13). It is poor interpretive practice to have the same powerful symbol represent Christ in one chapter and His counterfeit in another without explicit warrant.
But we must be precise. In what capacity is Christ riding forth? Given that the subsequent riders bring bloodshed, famine, and death, it is clear that this is Christ the Judge, not Christ the Savior. He is riding forth "conquering and to conquer," which is precisely what He said He would do to that wicked generation (Matt 24:29-31). He is the one who orchestrates the downfall of the city that rejected Him. The opening of the seals is the run-up to the destruction of Jerusalem. The Lord Himself is leveling the city, and He is leading the charge. The other horsemen are simply the grim instruments and consequences of His righteous conquest.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1 Then I looked when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, “Come.”
John's attention is fixed. The action begins. The central actor is the Lamb, Jesus Christ, who was slain and is now risen. His first act after taking the scroll is to open the first seal. This is not passive; it is a decisive, authoritative action. He is the one initiating all that follows. Immediately, one of the four living creatures speaks. These are the cherubim, the guardians of God's holy throne, and their presence indicates that what is about to happen is a matter of divine justice, flowing directly from the holiness of God. The voice is not a whisper; it is like thunder, a common biblical feature accompanying a theophany, a manifestation of God's awesome power and presence. The command is a simple, sharp imperative: "Come." It is a summons, a divine calling forth of the agent of judgment who is about to appear.
2 Then I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sits on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out overcoming and to overcome.
John looks, and what he sees is startling. The color of the horse is significant. White in Revelation consistently symbolizes righteousness, purity, and victory. This is a righteous conqueror on a just mission. The rider himself is equipped for conquest. He has a bow. A sword is for close-quarters fighting, but a bow is a weapon of distance. This suggests a judgment executed from afar, which fits perfectly with Christ in Heaven directing the armies of Rome on earth to accomplish His purposes. He did not need to be physically present in Palestine to bring about its destruction. Then, a crown was given to him. The word here is stephanos, the victor's crown, the wreath given to a triumphant general or winning athlete. This authority to conquer is His by right, but it is also formally bestowed upon Him by the Father. His mission is then stated plainly: he went out overcoming and to overcome. The Greek construction is emphatic. His purpose is victory, and His destiny is nothing less than total victory. This is not a battle of uncertain outcome. The conquering King has ridden out, and the fate of His enemies is sealed from the very beginning.
Application
The first and most important application is that Jesus Christ is Lord of history. Nothing happens by accident. The wars, famines, and plagues that rack the world are not random events in a meaningless universe. They are instruments in the hand of a sovereign King who is executing His Father's decree. This should be a profound comfort to the believer. Our King is on the throne, and He is riding forth to conquer. His enemies will all be made His footstool. Though the judgments described here had a specific historical fulfillment in the first century, the principle remains. Christ is ruling and overruling in the affairs of men, judging the nations, and building His Church.
Secondly, we must see the terrible gravity of rejecting Christ. The judgment that fell upon first-century Jerusalem was a direct result of their refusal to acknowledge their King. They were given the greatest light, and their rejection brought the greatest wrath. This stands as a permanent warning to all nations, all churches, and all individuals. To refuse the Lamb who was slain for you is to eventually face the Rider on the white horse who comes to judge you. There is no neutrality. You are either with Him or against Him.
Finally, this passage should fuel our worship and our confidence. The same King who rides forth to judge His enemies is the Lamb who was slain for us. His victory is our victory. We are on the winning side of history. Therefore, we should not live in fear of the chaos we see in the world, but rather in joyful expectation of our King's ultimate and final triumph. He is going forth "overcoming and to overcome," and because we are in Him, so are we.